Saturday, June 23, 2012

Life crushes and impressionist art

I recently spent a few weeks in Western Europe with my wife
and son.We had a wonderful time.I found insight in the Musee d’Orsay – an art
museum highlighting works from the impressionist and post-impressionist eras.I was struck by the idea that so many of the
talented artists were great friends with one another and great friends with
many of the thought leaders and revolutionaries of their day.These artists drew inspiration not only from
the ideas of other’s but from their relationships with people that inspired
them and helped them see the world in new ways.

I think that each of us should be friends with a few people
that energize and inspire us.A friend
who helps you come alive, helps you reset, helps you redirect, helps accelerate
you.I will call these friends a “life
crush” for lack of a better term - someone who you platonically crush on for
life. You can speak about things with your life crushes in ways that you can’t
speak to anyone else because you think differently around them than you
do when you’re with anyone else. Even between the years the relationship is
fresh and revitalizing; even when distance and circumstance are such that you
see your life crush only every several years.I am grateful to crush on many people – both men and women – that inspire
me and bring me to life.

Jumping back a paragraph… artists in the impressionist era
and other areas drew inspiration from their life crushes and shared
perspectives that helped them form revolutionary beliefs and ideas.